When Amy Nazbah Reeves-Begaye was crowned Miss Navajo Nation 2023-2024 in September last year, perhaps no one was as surprised as she was. "No one really tells you how to be Miss Navajo, there’s no rule book,” Begaye told the Office of the President and Vice President of the Navajo Nation in a reflective piece on her experience.
True to her introverted nature and authentic self, Begaye took a unique approach to her role, leading with service and a focus on STEM education, leveraging her health background from Utah Tech University. Her tenure was marked by early mornings, often starting around 3 a.m., and packed schedules with back-to-back events – a far cry from the glitz often associated with pageantry. And despite the obstacles, she pressed on, motivated by her desire to impact the youth, "You have to really adjust to your schedule because I noticed nothing is really set in stone, you may think it is, but it's not," Begaye revealed.
Begaye's commitment to service is clear from the agenda she and Carletta Benally, the program supervisor for the Office of Miss Navajo Nation, laid out focusing on what she wanted to accomplish within her first 90 days. Her passion for health education led her to raise awareness about gestational diabetes during her competition stint and continued to shine a spotlight on STEM opportunities for young students through a partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy. "As Miss Navajo Nation, you do way more than just smiling and waving,” Begaye explained.
Behind the crown, Begaye remained grounded in her personal habits, from binge-watching Gilmore Girls to crafting and journaling – a practice she maintained to one day reflect on her journey. Amid these quieter moments, she found solace and a space to recharge from the sometimes exhaustive demands of her role. "That’s one thing I did was journal every experience so one day I can look back at it and say what I went through doesn’t compare to this day and reflect on it," she admitted.
Looking back on her own nerves during the nerve-racking competition week a year prior where she famously forfeited a Taylor Swift concert for the chance to compete, Begaye sees that same anticipation in the fresh faces of the next hopefuls. And, as she steps into a new chapter working with the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah and furthering her education at Arizona State University, she leaves a piece of advice for the incoming 2024-2025 Miss Navajo Nation, Ranisha Begay: "My dad always reminded me just to be me, be Amy,” said Begaye. It’s a counsel that celebrates individuality and seems to suggest that to succeed, one should always, simply, be themselves.
